Manchester United are now willing to make a £67m offer to ensure they win the race for an “incredible” striker, who fits Ruben Amorim’s system “perfectly”, according to a report.

Red Devils keen on a striker

Man United signed off before the international break with a comprehensive 3-0 victory against Leicester City, and Rasmus Hojlund was back amongst the goals, finally finding the back of the net after a 13-game drought in the Premier League.

However, given that the Dane has bagged just three league goals all season, while Joshua Zirkzee has also struggled in his debut campaign at Old Trafford, it is clear to see why Amorim wants to bring in a new striker in the summer transfer window.

A promising new update has revealed there could now be an opening to sign Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, who has been followed closely for several seasons, while United are also the favourites to sign Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

Man Utd want to sell £10m-a-year star and replace him with "monster" player

Amorim wants Man Utd to strengthen their defensive options this summer, leaving one of his current options out in the cold.

ByBrett Worthington Mar 25, 2025

There is no shortage of top strikers from across Europe on the shortlist, but a new report from Spain suggests a Premier League forward has now become a serious target, with Man United now willing to shell out €80m (£67m) for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha.

United could go all out to sign Cunha, whose ability to play in multiple positions has caught the eye, and negotiations could be stepped up in the coming weeks, with a view to sealing a deal ahead of the summer transfer window.

Wolves view the striker as an important player, but they are willing to sanction his departure this summer, and they may have little choice in the matter, with reports from elsewhere revealing he has a £63m release clause.

"Incredible" Cunha fits Amorim's system "perfectly"

There are indications the Brazilian could be an ideal signing for United this summer, with former scout Mick Brown asserting he is a good fit for Amorim’s style of play.

“I think he fits the system perfectly. He can press, he’s quick, his passing and creativity is very good, and he can play through the middle and score goals too.”

The 25-year-old has been impressing in the Premier League for quite some time, having previously been lauded as “incredible” by former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil, and he has been a reliable source of goals and assists this season.

The Brazil international has amassed 13 goals and four assists in 26 Premier League games, while also recently bagging his first goal for his national side.

It is clear United need to bring in a new striker this summer, given Hojlund and Zirkzee’s struggles, and Cunha has proven himself as a reliable goalscorer in the Premier League.

Everton looked like they were on course for an excellent victory over Manchester United at Goodison Park this afternoon.

Goals from Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure gave the home side a two-goal advantage. Bruno Fernandes grabbed one back before Manuel Ugarte netted the equaliser with ten minutes remaining.

The result will sting for David Moyes, coming so close to securing all three points against his former side, but the qualities shown by his team mean relegation from the Premier League will be avoided this season.

Everton’s best and worst performers vs Man United

Since Moyes was appointed, several first-team players have stepped up of late. Against the Old Trafford outfit, Beto was certainly lively.

He scored after just 19 minutes, poking the ball past Andre Onana while also registering three total shots on target, creating a big chance and drawing two fouls.

Doucoure was also excellent during the game. Like Beto, he created one big chance and made a key pass along with winning 100% of his aerial duels against the Red Devils.

Elsewhere, James Tarkowski wasn’t quite at his best, completing just 74% of his passes, losing possession six times while committing two fouls.

At the heart of the midfield, James Garner won just 50% of his ground duels and completed only 16 of his 25 passes, amid a muted showing by the midfielder.

Perhaps the worst performer for Everton was Jesper Lindstrom. He was subbed off just after half-time due to injury, but he struggled majorly against United’s Patrick Dorgu before that.

Jesper Lindstrom’s game in numbers vs Man United

The Danish winger is currently on a season-long loan at the club, but he has failed to score a single goal. Furthermore, he has registered just a solitary assist across 26 games in all competitions.

Unleashed on the right wing, Lindstrom was expected to give Dorgu a torrid afternoon. Unfortunately, it was the other way around as the Everton player struggled against United’s winter signing.

During his 55 minutes on the field, he took 22 touches while completing 11 of his 14 attempted passes – 14 fewer than Jordan Pickford – as he struggled to do anything when he was on the ball.

Chalkboard

Lindstrom attempted two dribbles, but failed with both, and he failed to make a key pass or create a big chance during the match.

Defensively, he wasn’t much better. Indeed, the Dane won just one of his seven contested duels, lost possession ten times and was dribbled past once.

Hardly the performance Moyes was expecting, and he was the weak link during the first half.

For his display, the winger was given a match rating of 5/10 by Liverpool World, and he must be dropped by Moyes ahead of the clash against Brentford in midweek. If not, the Toffees could hamper their chances of securing three points.

2400% price rise: Everton must regret selling flop who’s "one of the best"

He’d be one of the best players in David Moyes’ current Everton side.

By
Angus Sinclair

Feb 21, 2025

Looking to boost their attacking options even further, Aston Villa have now reportedly made their first move to sign an attacking midfielder who’s had a hand in 23 goals so far this season.

Aston Villa transfer news

The Villans were as bold as ever during the January transfer window, selling Jhon Duran for a reported £65m before welcoming Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford on loan from Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United. That bravery has been to no avail in the Premier League, however, with Unai Emery’s side taking one step forward and two steps back in recent weeks, culminating in a 10th place position.

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1 ByBen Gray Mar 6, 2025

In the Champions League, meanwhile, the Midlands club have enjoyed opposite fortunes. Defeating Club Brugge 3-1 last time out, Aston Villa are now just one second leg win away from a Champions League quarter-final in what would be a sensational achievement.

Despite sitting 10th in the Premier League, the Villans have certainly remained ambitious in their pursuit of reinforcements too. According to Efotbal.cz, as relayed by Sports Witness, Aston Villa have now made their first enquiry over signing Pavel Sulc from Viktoria Plzen this summer, but face competition from Manchester City and Leeds United.

Such interest in the attacking midfielder should come as little surprise. Sulc has enjoyed another excellent campaign in the Czech Republic, scoring 12 goals and assisting a further 11, including one in a 2-1 defeat against Manchester United in the Europa League.

If ever a player was ready for a big move, it is the 24-year-old at the peak of his powers.

"Incredible" Sulc would add depth of quality

Whilst Aston Villa’s attack is currently filled to the brim with quality, it remains to be seen whether they’ll be in a position to welcome both Rashford and Asensio on a permanent basis following their loan moves this summer. And that could leave room for the likes of Sulc to arrive. A younger option than the duo who are 27 and 29 years old respectively, the attacking midfielder would prove to be a worthwhile investment.

Earning plenty of praise in the last year or so, including from Jacek Kulig. The football talent scout described the 24-year-old’s 23/24 campaign as “incredible” and has since watched on as he’s enjoyed another excellent season almost a year on.

When the summer arrives, Sulc looks destined to finally get his big move. Whether that means a trip to Villa Park is pending remains to be seen, however.

Shubha, Rodrigues, Bhatia and Deepti all scored half-centuries to steer India past 400

Valkerie Baynes14-Dec-2023

Impressive debuts from two young players at opposite ends of the experience spectrum led India to an imposing first-innings total on the opening day of their Test against England.Satheesh Shubha, representing her country for the first time, and Jemimah Rodrigues, playing her maiden Test after 113 white-ball appearances for India, both scored half-centuries on an accommodating pitch in Navi Mumbai as India posted 410 for 7, the second-highest total by a team on the opening day of a women’s Test behind England’s 431 for 4 against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1935, having bowled their opponents out for 44.By midway through the first evening session of this four-day fixture, the hosts’ run rate hadn’t dipped below 4.5 per over. Yastika Bhatia and Deepti Sharma, with three Test caps between them heading into the match, also racked up fifties and each played roles in key partnerships – Bhatia with Harmanpreet Kaur, who fell agonisingly short of her half-century in a strange yet familiar run out, and Deepti with Sneh Rana.Shubha’s selection was a surprise. She hardly played for Railways this season amid a lack of opportunities after moving from Karnataka, but was picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the WPL. And the 24-year-old left-hander gave more than a glimpse of what her franchise can expect as she eased to 69 off 76 balls, coming in at No. 3 with her side 25 for 1 after they chose to bat.Smriti Mandhana, dropped on 5 by Tammy Beaumont running back from short leg to catch a top edge that ballooned straight up in the second over, managed just 17 before she chopped onto her stumps off Lauren Bell. Kate Cross then sent Shafali Verma’s off stump cartwheeling with a delivery that moved away just enough to beat the bat, leaving India 47 for 2.But then Shubha and Rodrigues settled into a 115-run partnership that not only steadied the innings but kept the home side scoring at an impressive rate, the 23-year-old Rodrigues finding the gaps seemingly at will as Shubha looked right at home. When the latter cut Cross through backward point with ease, using the pace of the ball for one of her 13 fours, a half-century was just one more stroke away. She produced that three balls later, driving so sweetly down the ground it looked like she had been doing this forever.Sneh Rana and Deepti Sharma steered India past 400•BCCI

Heather Knight couldn’t cling onto a sharp chance to her right at slip that would have given Sophie Ecclestone her first wicket of the match when Shubha was on 51. That was the last ball before lunch and the India duo picked up where they left off after the break until Ecclestone broke through to remove Shubha, who picked out Nat Sciver-Brunt at short midwicket.Rodrigues forged ahead, bringing up her fifty with the first of two fours in three balls, a beautiful off-drive off Bell. Back-to-back boundaries off Ecclestone followed next over for Rodrigues, driven through the covers and swept fine, but she eventually fell to Bell in a moment of indecision that left her neither playing forward nor back and bowled between bat and pad.Bell put down a sitter to let off Bhatia on 15, her top edge off Charlie Dean looping up but going through Bell’s hands as she ran in from mid-on. Bhatia and Harmanpreet’s union for the fifth wicket was unbroken on 71 at tea, India having scored 125 runs in the afternoon session.They bettered Shubha and Rodrigues’ stand by one off the same number of balls (146) before Harmanpreet was run out right when she should have had an overthrow to bring up her half-century. Having pushed the ball towards covers, she set off but had to turn back. As Danni Wyatt hit the stumps direct with an underarm throw, Harmanpreet’s bat got stuck in the pitch just short of her crease. The dismissal went from the realms of bizarre to ignominious given that she had been run out in a similar way in India’s T20 World Cup semi-final loss to Australia in February.Bhatia produced some wonderful drives and rammed home her authority on the innings with the first six of the match, pulling Lauren Filer over deep-backward square leg to bring up her fifty. But Bell made up for her earlier mistake when she held a catch at mid-on to give Dean the wicket she should have had earlier and send Bhatia on her way.Rana was off the mark immediately, turning Dean through fine leg for four on the next ball and she settled into a 92-run partnership with Deepti, who produced nine fours and an emphatic six off Ecclestone over wide long-on. England’s bowlers lacked penetration and their tiring fielders were left to rue those missed chances. Then Deepti brought up her third fifty from as many Test matches with a four off Bell through square leg late in the day.That was before Sciver-Brunt ripped out Rana’s leg stump, and Pooja Vastrakar negotiated a tense final over from Ecclestone as the opening day of the first women’s Test hosted by India since 2014 and England’s first on these shores since 2005 ended up very much in the home side’s favour.

Find out a bit more about the young batter who has taken over from AB de Villiers

Andrew McGlashan08-Oct-2023Half-centuries as a 17-year-oldFraser-McGurk made an instant impression on his first-class and one-day debuts for Victoria in 2019 when, aged 17, he hit half-centuries in both the Sheffield Shield and One-day Cup in the space of six days. However, they would remain his only half-centuries until this remarkable century against Tasmania.A difficult Under-19 World CupHe was part of Australia’s squad for the 2020 edition of the U-19 World Cup in South Africa, but he was forced home early after being scratched in the face by a monkey at a nature reserve. “I guess it serves me right for getting too close to the animal enclosure. That’s a lesson learned,” he said.A player to watchIn mid-2020, he was included in ESPNcricinfo’s 20 players to watch for the 2020s. His then Victoria coach Chris Rogers said: “You look at him and you think, ‘Well, you’ve got everything you need, it’s just whether you make good decisions down the track.’ Sometimes he’ll leave a few runs out in the middle, and as a coach you can get a little bit frustrated, but then he’ll just do something magical and play an innings that is exceptional. When he has his good days, they’re just incredible.”A struggle for consistencyAs Fraser-McGurk’s overall numbers would suggest, the early stages of his professional career haven’t been easy. Neither has he amassed huge runs at grade level, although did make for 2nd XI hundreds for Victoria. Two seasons after that half-century on debut, he helped guide Victoria to victory in a low-scoring Shield match at the SCG. But he would only make two Shield appearances in the 2021-22 season and none last summer. In the one-day game he would occasionally show flashes of his talent but, again, lost his place in the format before moving to South Australia ahead of 2023-24 campaign.In the BBL he remains part of the Melbourne Renegades squad. He will be looking to turn around a poor T20 record where he currently averages just 13.28 with a strike-rate of 103.33 after 25 matches.Didn’t he go viral during the BBL?Yes, he did. Twice. Fraser-McGurk is known as a terrific fielder and in 2021 pulled off a stunning boundary catch in the 2021-22 season when he leapt to catch Jake Weatherald’s slog sweep at Marvel Stadium. “He tried to sweep a few of them and I thought I was in the game,” he said. “Sort of reminds me of Ben Stokes in the World Cup.”

Happy 20th birthday to Jake Fraser-McGurk!

Was this the catch of the summer?pic.twitter.com/Fz3MlBdaOx

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) April 11, 2022

Then he did it again the following season with another stunning catch against Hobart Hurricanes. “I thought that was going a long way back, we have seen him do it before, he’s as athletic as anyone in the world,” Brett Lee said on commentary. “He is quickly becoming one of Australia’s great fielders, he has taken some screamers, look at how relaxed he was.”

Aston Villa have one foot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after they beat Belgian giants Club Brugge 3-1 away from home in the first leg.

The Villans, who host the Pro League side in Birmingham for the second leg next week, secured the win thanks to goals from Leon Bailey and Marco Asensio, either side of an own goal from Brandon Mechele.

Unai Emery will be delighted that his side have a healthy advantage to take back to Villa Park as they look to secure their place in the last eight of the competition.

Things could have been different, however, if not for an unbelievable clearance from England international Tyrone Mings, who prevented Hans Vanaken from putting the hosts 2-1 up by diverting his header just past the post with an athletic intervention.

Whilst there were plenty of positives to take from the evening clash in Bruges, there were also some disappointing individual performances for the Premier League outfit.

One player who did not show the full extent of his quality at the top end of the pitch was Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford, who started on the left flank.

Marcus Rashford's performance against Club Brugge

Emery selected the England international ahead of the likes of Asensio and Jacob Ramsey to play as part of an attacking midfield three behind Ollie Watkins, alongside Morgan Rogers and Bailey.

Whilst Rogers forced the own goal from Mechele with a brilliant cross in the second half and Bailey opened the scoring with a sublime half-volleyed effort into the bottom corner, Rashford ended the game without any direct contribution to a goal for the Villans.

Chalkboard

The right-footed speedster was taken off in the 64th minute after a fairly uneventful showing on the wing, as Club Brugge right-back Kyriani Sabbe largely kept him quiet – winning five of his six duels and making four tackles.

Rashford did not create a single chance for his teammates in those 64 minutes on the pitch. However, he did create a chance for himself when he worked an opportunity on the right side of the pitch, making an underlapping run to fire an effort at Simon Mignolet from a tight angle.

The 27-year-old forward also let himself down out of possession by losing four of his five duels and failing to make a single tackle or interception to help his side out defensively.

Whilst it is his natural position to play out on the left wing, it may be worthwhile for Emery to see how he fares as the lone centre-forward for the Villans before the end of the season.

Why Marcus Rashford should be used as a striker

Firstly, Rashford has the blistering pace that would allow him to make runs on the last line to create chances for himself against teams that play in a mid-to-high block.

The English forward has played 153 matches as a centre-forward in his club career for Villa and Manchester United combined, which shows that it is not a position that he is unfamiliar with.

As you can see in the clips above, Rashford has the quality to score brilliant goals at Premier League level from positions off the left or centrally, which suggests that he can comfortably play in either role.

The experienced forward’s career record as a striker, at club level, also suggests that the potential is there for it to be his best position on the pitch for the Villans.

Appearances

153

226

51

Goals

59

69

13

Assists

20

36

7

Goals + assists per game

0.52

0.46

0.39

As you can see in the table above, Rashford is at his most productive in front of goal when playing as a centre-forward, with 0.52 goals and assists combined per game on average throughout his career.

This is important to keep in mind because Ollie Watkins was even worse than Rashford in the win over Club Brugge and Emery should boldly drop him from the starting XI for this weekend’s clash with Brentford.

Why Ollie Watkins should be dropped

Villa left themselves with the former Bees man as their only recognised, natural, centre-forward when they sold Jhon Duran during the January transfer window.

However, they brought in the likes of Asensio, Donyell Malen, and Rashford, who can all play across the frontline, and Emery should utilise Rashford’s versatility to provide Watkins with a rest against Brentford – ahead of the second leg clash with Club Brugge next week.

Watkins put in a tired showing against the Belgian side on Tuesday night. The Villa star played 89 minutes without registering a shot on target, a key pass, or a completed dribble, whereas the Red Devils loanee at least managed a shot on target to test Mignolet and completed a dribble.

Rashford, at least, troubled the goalkeeper and tried to make things happen by dribbling at defenders in the final third, whilst his international teammate did little to cause the opposition any problems at all.

The ex-Brentford man was described as “world class” by journalist Jack Grimse last year and has scored 31 goals in the Premier League since the start of last season, but that does not make him immune to criticism or to the odd bad performance.

Watkins was handed a dismal player rating of 3/10, worse than Rashford’s 4/10, by the Express, who noted that he only had one shot on goal, and now could be the time for Emery to boldly drop him from the XI.

The 29-year-old forward lost seven of his eight duels in the game, as Club Brugge defenders dominated him in physical battles, and he has now gone four games without a goal – missing three ‘big chances’ in the process.

His poor display in Bruges, coupled with his wasteful form in front of goal of late, suggests that this could be the right time for Emery to take him out of the firing line for a game, both to provide Rashford with a chance to show what he can do as a striker as well as handing Watkins a much-needed rest.

Even better than Rogers: 8/10 star just saved his Aston Villa career

This Aston Villa star may have just saved his career at the club with this performance.

ByDan Emery Mar 5, 2025

This would, hopefully, allow the England international to return to the starting line-up against Club Brugge for the second leg with fresh legs and a desire to bounce back with a strong showing to secure the club’s place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Afghanistan claimed the most famous scalp of their international history, and in the process provided the first big shock of the 2023 World Cup, by routing England’s world champions by 69 runs in a spin-and-seam masterclass under the Delhi floodlights.Their dominance was set in motion by a fearless display of power-hitting from the 21-year-old Rahmanullah Gurbaz, whose 80 from 57 had promised so much more until a run-out sawed him off in his prime. But Ikram Alikhil marshalled Afghanistan’s lower-order with a precious half-century in his first game of this year’s World Cup, whereupon they set about making a target of 285 seem as dim and distant as England’s hopes of defending their title must now feel.

Gurbaz reprimanded for equipment abuse

Rahmanullah Gurbaz was officially reprimanded for hitting the boundary rope and a chair with his bat after being dismissed in the 19th over of Afghanistan’s innings. He has received one demerit point for the same, his first in a 24-month period.
When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned. Each demerit point stays on a player’s record for 24 months from their imposition.

If, after winning the toss and choosing to chase, England had assumed the second half of the match would be a cakewalk to match the 283 target that New Zealand had waltzed past in their tournament opener, those notions were scotched during a startlingly attacking powerplay from their opponents.Jos Buttler’s decision to bat second had seemingly been influenced by the likelihood that the ball would skid on to the bat under the floodlights. But instead, the evening conditions merely exacerbated the natural attributes of each of Afghanistan’s bowlers, not least Fazalhaq Farooqi and Mujeeb Ur Rahman, right from the outset of their innings.Farooqi’s loosener was more than enough to cause a few sideways glances in the England dressing-room, a wicked full-length inswinger from his zippy left-arm line pinned Jonny Bairstow on the crease and extracted a perfectly justifiable on-field verdict from Rod Tucker, irrespective of Bairstow’s stinkeye as he stalked from the crease after a seam’s-width DRS verdict.Mohammad Nabi, playing his 150th ODI out of a possible 156 for his country, put on a masterclass in flight, drift and dip•Associated Press

But no such second-guessing was required for England’s second victim of the powerplay: Joe Root, squared up by Mujeeb’s front-of-the-hand slider, and bowled for 11 from 17 – yet another telling powerplay failure for England’s faltering kingpin – as the ball kept low to rattle middle and off.Not for the first time, Dawid Malan was the most composed batter on show, his 32 from 39 balls singlehandedly dragging England through the powerplay without further loss. But Mohammad Nabi, playing his 150th ODI out of a possible 156 for his country, was waiting for him as the fielding restrictions lifted. Nabi’s fourth ball was a moment of offspinning poetry – a flighted, dipping delivery that made Malan believe his fifth boundary was on the cards, only for Ibrahim Zadran to spring the trap at short cover.At 68 for 3 in the 13th over, the alarm bells were ringing.Buttler’s exhortation in recent weeks has been to “attack”… but even he was powerless to practice what he had preached in such invidious circumstances. His only shot in anger was a pointed one, a bullet drive through the covers as Afghanistan’s main threat Rashid Khan entered the attack in the 17th over. But Naveen-ul-Haq’s fiercely flicked seamers seemed to spook him from the outset, and after being beaten twice in his first four balls, he drove without conviction through a booming inswinger, and had his stumps splattered for 9 from 18.England’s diffidence thereafter was startling. Liam Livingstone never looked settled in his 10 from 14, eventually planting his front foot down the line to Rashid and burning a futile review in the process. Sam Curran seemed focussed solely on holding up an end while Harry Brook got busy with a fighting half-century, including a handful of exquisite drives down the ground, and in the 31st over, England’s first and only six of the innings, which told a tale – especially when set against the previous World Cup meeting between these teams. Afghanistan by contrast had launched eight.With Curran on 10 from 23 balls, Nabi – armed quite rightly with a slip – returned with another collector’s item to collect another left-hander, as Curran poked limply at a dipping offbreak and fenced low to Rahmat Shah. And it was only once the result was a foregone conclusion that England finally broke out of their defeatist mindset, with Reece Topley’s three fours in a row off Farooqi proving to be among the cleanest strikes of a flat-lining display.1:13

How did England’s bowling unit perform against Afghanistan?

It was a crushing victory by any standards, but the gulf between Afghanistan’s attacking mindset and England’s muddled approach was even more vast than the final result made it out to be.And it was Gurbaz’s mini-masterpiece that set the tone for his team. Presented with a surface on which South Africa’s batters had posted three centuries in last week’s World Cup record 428 for 5, he climbed on to the offensive, particularly against another timid new-ball spell from Chris Woakes, whose search for form has epitomised England’s uncertain start to their title defence.Woakes’ first ball of the match was a wild sighter that flew away through Buttler’s legs for five wides, and Afghanistan scarcely needed any more encouragement to put the hammer down on such a visibly weak link in England’s attack. In his second over, a premeditated hack from Gurbaz through the line persuaded Woakes to drag his length back, and Gurbaz was waiting with the sucker punch, a vicious slammed pull over deep square-leg for six.Two more fours followed in Woakes’ next over, lashed through the covers as he failed to land his cutters, and though Topley at the other end was proving more frugal with his high-kicking left-arm seam, Gurbaz had utter faith in the true nature of the pitch, and twice climbed through an offering of width across his bows with a brace of savage cuts.Curran replaced Woakes but fared little better. Gurbaz demolished his second over, which disappeared for 20 with two more fours and another muscular six over midwicket to close out Afghanistan’s powerplay on an ominous 79 for 0. He duly brought up his fifty from 33 balls, the fourth fastest of the tournament to date, with a calculated sweep for four off Adil Rashid’s second ball.Mujeeb Ur Rahman walked in and smashed the England bowlers around from the get-go•Getty Images

England’s concerns had deeper to go before they could improve. Mark Wood was rapid from the outset of his spell, but a misdirected bouncer was jemmied up and over deep third with a flick of the wrists, before Gurbaz nailed his fourth six – and arguably the best of the lot: an effortless pick-up over deep midwicket as Rashid looped a legbreak into his arc. And when the injury-plagued Topley jarred his knee while failing to cut off another pull through fine leg, and limped off for treatment, the concerns in the England camp, and for his father Don sitting up in the stands, were plain to see.Topley returned in due course, however, by which stage it seemed that Afghanistan’s innings had imploded in a familiar flurry of self-destruction. After playing out a maiden against Rashid, Ibrahim Zadran picked out Root with a head-high clip to midwicket, and before he could settle, Rahmat was dragged out of his crease in Rashid’s next over, to be smartly stumped by Buttler for 3 from eight balls.And then… catastrophe.Hashmatullah Shahidi nudged his first ball to midwicket and set off for a unthinking single, and Gurbaz was barely in the frame as the shy came in from midwicket. He stalked off the pitch, utterly livid with himself and his captain, smashing his bat on the boundary marker and a passing chair as he did so, knowing full well that those blows could and should have been meted out on England’s toiling bowlers instead.But even as Afghanistan struggled to regroup, the seeds of England’s downfall were plain to see. Liam Livingstone settled into an excellent mid-innings holding role, completing a full ten-over spell for the first time in his ODI career, while Root was also a handful with his offbreaks as he bowled Shahidi for a becalmed 14 from 36.But at 174 for 5, there would be no surrender in spite of Afghanistan’s awkward scoreline. Alikhil anchored the tail as Rashid and Mujeeb took what lumps they could out of England’s bowling, and by the time Curran’s final over had been launched for two fours and a free-hit six, he and Woakes had leaked the combined figures of 8-0-87-0. In the final analysis, those were the margins that could not be managed, as Afghanistan delivered on their pre-match promise to offer some “joy” to their country in the wake of last week’s earthquake. They could not have delivered more.

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A ponta direita vem sendo uma das principais preocupações dos torcedores. Lucas Piazon e Gustavo Sauer têm sido utilizados na posição, mas ambos não estão conseguindo desempenhar atuações constantes neste começo de temporada.

O Botafogo busca um atacante no mercado e chegou a procurar nomes do futebol europeu. Os dirigentes demonstraram interesse em jogadores como Facundo Pellistri e Edigar Junio, mas as negociações não avançaram.

Carlos Alberto é jovem e conta com apoio de boa parte da torcida. O jogador tem apenas 20 anos e chegou ao Glorioso no início deste ano após boas atuações no América-MG. O atleta está emprestado até dezembro deste ano.

A tendência é que ele seja utilizado por Luís Castro nos próximos jogos e ganhe respaldo do clube para se desenvolver e amadurecer. O atacante mostrou muita personalidade nas partidas que atuou e retorna para ser um reforço importante ao longo da temporada.

O Glorioso entra em campo na próxima quinta-feira, diante do Sergipe, às 20h, fora de casa, pela terceira fase da Copa do Brasil. O time de Luís Castro precisa apenas de um empate para se classificar para próxima fase da competição. Relembre a vez que Botafogo e Sergipe se enfrentaram na Copa do Brasil.

Former Premier League star Nemanja Matic could be in hot water after appearing to cover up a LGBTQ+ logo on his Lyon shirt over the weekend.

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• Matic appeared to cover the symbol vs Angers
• Others also rejected participation in campaign
• Sports Minister says behaviour "must be sanctioned"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lyon midfielder Matic has been criticised for covering the LGBTQ+ rainbow insignia on his shirt during a 2-0 win over Angers. The incident occurred during the league's annual anti-homophobia campaign, which encourages players to wear rainbow armbands and logos.

  Matic wasn’t the only one to take a stand. Le Havre’s Ahmed Hassan also covered the same symbol on his shirt, while Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed chose to boycott the match against Montpellier because of his personal beliefs. Notably, this was the third time this season that Mohamed has skipped a game for the same reason.

  Another incident involved Lens defender Jonathan Gradit, who reportedly made a homophobic slur in the tunnel during half-time of their match against Monaco.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  This insignia was part of the LFP's homophobia-fighting campaign to make football more inclusive. This occurred on International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia.

  However, some players have pushed back against the league’s efforts in recent seasons. Both Mostafa and Matic have previously refused to wear LGBTQ+ symbols, citing personal or religious beliefs.

  The controversy led Marie Barsacq, France’s new Sports Minister, to speak out. She said the government expects clubs and players to take responsibility and uphold the values of inclusion.

• WHAT FRANCE'S SPORTS MINISTER SAID

  Marie Barsacq condemned the recent actions and called for accountability. She said: "Football has a massive platform, and the [French Football] Federation is determined to put this issue on the clubs’ and supporters’ agenda. Homophobic insults and behaviour are no longer acceptable. Society has evolved, and the language in football must change with it. There’s a full range of sanctions available, and they must be applied."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NEMANJA MATIC?

  The French Football Federation (FFF) is now pushing for disciplinary action against players who rejected the campaign or acted inappropriately during last weekend’s matches. Matic and Hassan could be summoned for questioning or fined, while Gradit may face suspension if his alleged homophobic remark is confirmed.

تحدث إنزو ماريسكا المدير الفني لفريق تشيلسي، عقب المباراة أمام فولهام في الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز اليوم السبت.

والتقى تشيلسي وفولهام ضمن مباريات الجولة الثالثة للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز “البريميرليج”، وحقق فريق ماريسكا فوزًا بهدفين دون مقابل.

وفي مؤتمره الصحفي عقب المباراة، سُئل ماريسكا عن حالة لاعبه ليام ديلاب وإصابته وإذا كان بحاجة للتعاقد مع مهاجم آخر قبل انتهاء انتقالات الصيف.

وأجاب: “لا تبدو إصابة ليام جيدة، فقد كان سريعًا جدًا، وتعرض لإصابة في أوتار الركبة، لذا تطلبت كالعادة أسابيع، أما بالنسبة لمهاجم آخر، بصراحة، فقد انتهينا المباراة وجئنا إلى هنا للمؤتمر الصحفي، لذا بعد انتهاء المباراة، سنجلس ونرى إن كنا سنتخذ أي قرار، هذا كل شيء”.

وإذا كان بالإمكان الإبقاء على نيكولاس جاكسون المقرر إعارته لبايرن ميونخ، أصر ماريسكا: “قلتُ للتو أنهينا المباراة، وجئت للمؤتمر، لا أعرف، سنجلس الآن ونرى، جدّيًا، بصراحة، ليس لديّ أي فكرة”.

وعما إذا كان لديه خيارات كافية في مركز المهاجم، رد: “عندما يكون لديك مهاجمان، فهذا يكفي، عندما يُصاب أحدهما لأسابيع، فغالبًا لا يكون ذلك كافيًا، نحاول استخدام حلول مختلفة، إذا كنت تتذكر العام الماضي، فقد استخدمنا بيدرو نيتو في بعض المباريات كلاعب رقم 9، هذا لأننا نبحث دائمًا عن حلول، ولكن بالتأكيد عندما يكون لديك لاعبان رقم 9 جيدان، فهذا يكفي”.

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وإذا كانت لكأس العالم للأندية وفترة الإعداد القصيرة تأثير مباشر على كثرة الإصابات، علّق: “قلتُ قبل بداية الموسم إنه للأسف ليس لدي إجابة، لأنها المرة الأولى التي تُقام فيها بطولة خلال الصيف، لذا لا أحد يعلم، لا أعلم، لا أنا، ولا أي متخصص في علوم الرياضة، ولا أي طبيب يستطيع مساعدتنا في التنبؤ بمدى احتمالية حدوث هذه المشكلة”.

واستكمل: “لا نعلم، إنه أمر جديد، وللأسف حدث بالفعل، قلتُ في المؤتمر الصحفي بالأمس أعتقد أن  كولويل، كايسيدو، وكول بالمر، واليوم ليام ليس صدفة”.

وانتقل للحديث عن المباراة أمام فولهام، والجدل حول قرارات حكم الفار، وشعوره لو كانت ضد فريقه، وأوضح: “قلتُ للتو، إنني أراجع كلا القرارين، من وجهة نظري، من الواضح تمامًا أن القرار الأول هو ركل أحد لاعبيهم لتريف، والثاني واضح تمامًا أنها لمسة يد، الآن أستطيع أن أفهم أنه من وجهة نظرهم، لا يمكن احتساب خطأ، لكنني أعتقد أنه من الواضح تمامًا أنه خطأ، ومن ثم ركلة جزاء”.

وحول سبب غضب إنزو فرنانديز في الشوط الأول، أفاد: “الجواب هو أنه فائز بكأس العالم للأندية، فائز بكأس العالم، وأعتقد أنه ربما اللاعب الوحيد في العالم الذي فاز باللقبين، وعندما لا يكون جيدًا بما يكفي، يستطيع أن يُدرك ذلك، وربما كان منزعجًا بسبب ذلك، لأنه في الشوط الأول، أعتقد أنه لم يكن جيدًا بما يكفي”.

وواصل: “ثم في الشوط الثاني، كان مثل البقية مُتألقًا، لذا ربما يكون سبب عدم سعادته هو أنه أدرك أنه لم يكن جيدًا بما يكفي، وفي الشوط الثاني، أعتقد أنه كان مُتألقًا، ولكن في نهاية المباراة كان الجميع يرقصون أو يحتفلون بالفوز، لذا كان إنزو حاضرًا وكان سعيدًا”.

وعما إذا  كان يشير إلى ماركوس ألفاريز، رد: “لا أعرف، على الأرجح، عندما سجلنا هدفًا مع جواو، غادرتُ مقاعد البدلاء فورًا لأنني كنتُ أكثر قلقًا بشأن تحسين أدائي في الشوط الثاني، لذا عدتُ إلى غرفة الملابس لأُعدّ لوحة التكتيكات وكل شيء، لذلك لم أرَ شيئًا”.